Detailed negotiations at this weekend's G20 summit in Brisbane “have probably been helpful contrary to some media reports,” Steinmeier said on the sidelines of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, noting the need to avoid entering “a new spiral of violence” in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met President Putin separately during the Group of 20 meeting in Australia. No details were disclosed after two hours of one-on-one talks.

Steinmeier said it was necessary to bring together representatives of the European Union and the Eurasian Union to improve dialogue with Russia, adding that this could help expand the scope of negotiations.